Louisville opens with Austin Peay, aims to build on last season

Jeff Brohm's first season as head coach of Louisville was a rousing success.

The Cardinals finished with 10 victories -- winning double-digit games in a season for the first time since 2013 -- and advanced to the ACC Championship game.

The quest to build on those accomplishments in Brohm's second season will begin Saturday afternoon when Louisville hosts Austin Peay in a nonconference game.

Brohm was well aware of what happened with some notable upsets in last week's opening NCAA games and doesn't want his heavily-favored team to take anything for granted.

"You had two upsets last weekend, so it just goes to show the parity in college football," Brohm said. "When you step on the field and you don't play your best game, you're going to lose."

The biggest newcomer for Louisville this year is quarterback Tyler Shough, a transfer from Texas Tech who has taken over the starting job.

Shough completed 67 of 111 passes for 746 yards and seven touchdowns over four games for the Red Raiders last season, with four interceptions.

"Every day he continues to go out there and make plays," Brohm said. "He has great command of the offense and the pocket. He knows how to deliver the ball up the field to our playmakers."

Brohm said the defensive line is his team's deepest position, highlighting Ashton Gillotte as one player who has had a "tremendous" camp.

Austin Peay has a first-year head coach in Jeff Faris, who came from UCLA after serving as the tight ends coach under Chip Kelly.

The Governors won the United Athletic Conference title last year, but only 43 players from last year's roster are back this season.

The leading returning players for Austin Peay are offensive lineman Chandler Kirton and defensive lineman Hosea Knifeley Jr.

"It takes time to get used to a whole new coaching staff," Kirton told the Clarksville Leaf Chronicle. "But I think coach Faris has done a great job of bringing in coaches that are going to coach you hard."

--Field Level Media